Propuesta educativa a desarrollar

Another highly recommended solution for the impediments faced by agricultural exporters in Tonga, as depicted in Fig.19, is market research. Fig. 22 shows that the majority of agricultural exporters consider this to be a “very effective solution”.

One of the leading exporters who also assist in the development of other smaller scale ventures emphasized the importance of market research by stating that:

“One of my main businesses in agriculture is to get people to encourage them to grow more, to export. But I find it hard because they’ll say look (name of interviewee) you tell me to grow this year and what shall we get out of it...They need to feel secure about the

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market. They’ve got to know that there’ll be markets for their produce.” (Former squash exporter, Tongatapu) 31

Fig.22: Market Research .

The information given in this statement indicates that there is a level of insecurity when it comes to export markets for Tongan agricultural produce. The statement suggests that agricultural farmers are discouraged from participating in export because they are unsure whether there are markets for their produce. In effect, one exporter indicated that the lack of a specified market for products has resulted in some root-crop (taro, yams, cassava) export farmers “having to go overseas with every shipment to try and sell their produce” (Coffee exporter, Tongatapu). As such, the availability of secure markets for exports will reduce costs for farmers and enable relatively insecure subsistence farmers on the sideline to participate in export production.

The most positive effect of identifying reliable markets for Tongan agricultural products is that it would give Tongan agricultural farmers a level of security hence an incentive to export and to be more productive. Such is perhaps the most fundamental step towards growth.

Other Recommended Solutions:

Figure19 suggests a number of other solutions that agricultural exporters believe to foster growth in the agricultural export industry in Tonga. One of the most outstanding solutions

31 _{Not translated from Tongan}

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recommended is for Government to assist in raising capital funds for business operations. As discussed in the previous section, this solution is reflective of the difficulties faced by agricultural farmers, particularly small-scale growers, in raising capital funds to continue business.

Government Intervention:

In view of the recommended solutions identified in the survey, it is apparent that agricultural exporters in Tonga look to the Government to provide these measures. In effect, Fig.18 shows that the majority of exporters in the survey considered Government non-intervention to be ineffective. In other words, agricultural exporters in Tonga believe that it is more effective for Government to intervene in the development of the agricultural export industry than otherwise. In effect, the survey responses mostly referred to Government as the agency to implement the proposals identified in this survey.

Fig.23: Exporters’ Opinions of “No Government Intervention”

The opinions of agricultural exporters regarding agricultural export development in Tonga indicate that that there are significant impediments to the development of this industry yet they also believe that there is great potential in the agricultural export industry if these constraints are removed. One exporter voices his belief in the potential of the agricultural sector by stating that:

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“ I really feel that we here in Tonga are very lucky in that respect, the land is out there, farming can be your business and you can go out and do as much as you like and in fact get as much money as you can out of it. And that opportunity cannot be found everywhere in the world. Now that’s why it is more important for us and probably more easier for us to do is that we have a favourable combination of weather and soil...So we live in a favourable environment for us to get things, for us to have whatever. So we want people to do things because really we’re not that helpless.” (Vegetable Exporter, Tongatapu)32

This viewpoint suggests that agricultural exporters understand the potential of the agricultural industry in Tonga to not only foster economic growth but to provide a sustainable livelihood for its people. However, as discussed in this chapter, Tonga can most likely reach this potential if constraints to agricultural export development are removed. As identified in this survey, agricultural exporters are looking to Government to help remove these impediments.

The following chapters discuss the forms of Government intervention in the development of the Agricultural export industry in Tonga. The aim of discussing the voice of the exporters before the forms of Government intervention in the industry is to allow the reader to establish a level of comparison between the two and to identify how far Government policies respond to the needs of the exporters.

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CHAPTER 5